It’s not so long ago that people were doubting the credentials of Callum McGregor as the next Celtic captain.
Rewind back to the uncertain months of June or July – and Hoops fans everywhere were worried about who would take on the armband.
Scott Brown – captain since early 2010 – had just departed for Aberdeen, and left a giant Scott Brown shaped hole in the Celtic dressing room.
McGregor, meanwhile, was coming off his poorest season since fully breaking into the Hoops starting XI in 2017.
The potential for it to all go pear shaped was there. The reality has been very different.
McGregor’s level head as Celtic captain shows the best is yet to come
McGregor faces his predecessor and mentor Brown at Pittodrie tonight a very different man.
He has grown into Celtic’s main on-field leader in the past six months. He’s not merely continuing from where Brown left off. This is his team now.
The fact the Hoops dressing room is such a happy place to be at present, with so many new arrivals fitting in seamlessly, is a real credit to McGregor.
Previously, he was a player who did his talking with his football. That is still the case to an extent, but McGregor is now the driving force behind this Celtic side.
While rival players sat in the stand with fitness worries, McGregor has donned a protective mask in recent weeks to help the cause.
The Celtic Exchange Podcast caught McGregor in all his glory before last week’s derby – 100% focussed and ready to go to battle.
His calming of the post-match celebrations were even more evidence of McGregor’s big picture brain. Beating Rangers will mean nothing if we don’t win the league.
That level headed approach suggests Celtic won’t stop until this group of players have achieved the maximum.
The best is yet to come for Ange’s men.
It all continues tonight against Brown and Aberdeen.
In other news, Aberdeen pundits have been piling the pressure on the Dons ahead of tonight’s game
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